Method of adjusting a speaker of an electrical sound producing instrument

ABSTRACT

A method of adjusting a speaker of an electrical musical instrument to a room in which music is to be played on the instrument through a loudspeaker. A note is sounded through at least one speaker of the instrument, the note having a single fundamental frequency and harmonics including audible high harmonics above the fundamental frequency. The note is monitored as by ear at the speaker to detect the relative volumes of the fundamental frequency and the highest audible harmonic frequency. While continuing to monitor, the speaker is moved close to and relative to a wall of the room until a particular position of the speaker is detected where the volume of the highest audible harmonic relative to that of the fundamental frequency is greater than at surrounding positions. The speaker is fixed at that particular position. Preferably, the same monitoring step is continued while moving a reflector outside and relative to the speaker until a particular position for the reflector is detected where the relative volume at the reflector of the highest audible harmonic is greatest, and the reflector is fixed at that position. Other reflectors may be positioned in the same manner. As a result of the tuning, music played on the instrument has two desirable characteristics: (1) it envelops the listener to the point where the location of the speaker is less noticeable, and (2) it has tonal qualities characteristic, for example, of a good pipe organ; i.e. fullness, roundness, solidity and spread.

United States Patent Neff [72] Inventor: Marten I. Neff, 42 Phonetia Avenue,

Coral Gables, Fla. 33134 [22] Filed: May 15, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 37,546

[52] U.S.Cl.

[Sl] lnt.Cl. t ..H04r l/28,Gl0k 13/00 ....l8l/3l R, 181/30, 84/454- [451 June 20, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT A method of adjusting a speaker of an electrical musical instrument to a room in which music is to be played on the instrument through a loudspeaker. A note is sounded through at least one speaker of the instrument, the note having a single fundamental frequency and harmonics including audible high harmonics above the fundamental frequency. The note is monitored as by ear at the speaker to detect the relative volumes of the fundamental frequency and the highest audible harmonic frequency. While continuing to monitor, the speaker is moved Close to and relative to a wall of the room until a particular position of the speaker is detected where the volume of the highest audible harmonic relative to that of the HAVING HIGH HARMomcs [58] Field of Search ..l8l/3l A, 3| B, 30; 84/454 fundamental frequency is greater than at surrounding positions. The speaker is fixed at that particular position. Preferably, the same monitoring step is continued while mov- [56] References Cited ing a reflector outside and relative to the speaker until a particular position for the reflector is detected where the relative UNITED STATES PATENTS volume at the reflector of the highest audible harmonic is 2,612,234 9/1952 Zivadinovic ..l8 1/31 A greatest, and the reflector is fixed at that P other 3,166,147 1/1965 Greenfieldnm 131/31 B reflectors may be positioned in the same manner. As a result 3,449,519 6/1969 "179/1 of the tuning, music played on the instrument has two desira- 3 500 953 3 1970 Lahtiu 181 31 B ble characteristics: (1) it envelops the listener to the point v where the location of the speaker is less noticeable, and (2) it Primary Examiner-Stephen J. Tomsky has tonal qualities characteristic, for example, of a good pipe Anomey Seme and Okman organ; i.e. fullness, roundness, solidity and spread.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures SOUND NOTE NONI-TOR. NOTE HARMONICS PtAce SPEAKER AT POSITION OF MAXIMUM HIGHS MOVE REFLECTOR TO MAXIMIZE HIGH HARMONICS PLACE- REFLECTOR AT posmon OF MAXIMUM mcns POSITlON ADDITIONAL REFLECTORS 'PATENTEDJUHZO I972 3, 670,841

SOUND NOTE HAVING HIGH HARMONICS MONITOR NOTE MOVE SPEAKER To I MAXIMIZE HIGH HARMONICS PLACE SPEAKER AT POSITION OF MAXIMUM HIGHS MOVE REFLECTOR TO MAXIMI ZE HIGH HARMONICS G- PLACE REFLECTOR AT POSITION 0F MAXIMUM HIGHS POSITION ADDITIONAL R E FLECTORS FIG. 2

MARTE/V NEFF INVENTOR.

SETTLE 8 OLTMA/V, ATTYS.

METHOD OF ADJUSTING A SPEAKER OF AN ELECTRICAL SOUND PRODUCING INSTRUMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The two characteristics just referred to are difficult to achieve when playing music with an electrical sound producing instrument. The term electrical sound producing instrument" as used hereafter includes electronic organs, phonographs (either monaural or stereo) and other instruments which play music through a speaker system. The speaker system is often regarded as the limiting factor. With poor tuning, a blind or blind-folded listener can point directly toward the location of the speaker or speakers. Whether the room be reverberant or dead, and whether the tone generation system be poor or capable of duplicating live performances, the instrument will not perform properly if one can readily tell where the location of the loudspeakers are from hearing them without seeing them. Poor quality of sound is the second drawback of poorly tuned or untuned speakers for electrical sound producing instruments. The sound is often described as shrill, schreechy, screaming or having sharp edges. The high pitches are particularly unpleasant at high volume. The sound is thin at low volume and cutting at high volume.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved tuning method involving adjusting a speaker of an electrical sound producing instrument to a room in which music is to be played on the instrument.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a tuning method which results in apparent dispersion of the sound source and improved tonal qualities.

A further object of the invention, particularly connected with electronic organs, is to provide a method of adjusting the organ speakers to duplicate as closely as possible the sound of a pipe organ.

Still another, and no less important, object of the invention is to adjust the speaker of an electrical sound producing instrument, by a method which involves highly selective positioning of a speaker and reflectors while monitoring a note played through the speaker to detect the relative volumes of a fundamental frequency and the highest audible harmonic frequency above the fundamental frequency.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an electrical sound producing instrument with a speaker system in a room, the tuning method of the invention being carried out by positioning the speaker or speakers of the instrument and positioning reflectors in the room to adjust the speakers to the room; and

FIG. 2 is a flow chart diagrammatically setting forth the steps of the method of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. I a console of an electrical sound producing instrument which may, for example, be an electronic organ or an electronic phonograph. The console 10 has speaker cabinets 12 and M which are electrically connected to the console in the usual manner. In addition to the electrical sound producing instrument itself, FIG. 1 shows three reflectors identified respectively as X, Y and 2 located at different positions in the room and three further reflectors X, Y, and Z. The tuning method of the present invention is carried out by manipulation of the speaker cabinets l2 and 14 and the reflectors X, Y, Z and X Y 2 while monitoring a note played on the electrical sound producing instrument.

Where the electrical sound producing instrument is an electronic organ, the note which is monitored is played by pinning down a particular key. The best results have been achieved by pinning down G above middle C on a single 8 foot stop to play a note having a fundamental frequency of 392.0 cycles per second.

Where the electrical sound producing instrument is a phonograph system, a recording is utilized. The recording is first prepared by recording a G pitch of 392.0 cycles per second from a square wave tone generator. This note is then played by playing the recording continuously while carrying out the method. When playing an electronic organ or when playing an electronic phonograph, the note which is played is rich in harmonics, and it is possible to detect by ear audible high harmonics having a frequency well above the fundamental frequency. In some cases (as when playing a reed or diapason stop on an organ) the highest pitch seems to be like a his or buzz, but in any event, it is necessary to concentrate on that highest audible harmonic and compare its volume to that of the fundamental frequency.

STEPS OF THE METHOD As indicated schematically in the flow chart of FIG. 2, the first step of the method is to continuously softly sound a note through one of the speakers 12 and 14, the note having a single fundamental frequency and harmonics including audible high harmonics above the fundamental frequency. Thus, when adjusting an organ speaker, the G pitch referred to previously is played by pinning down G on the organ. When adjusting the speaker of a phonograph, the record carrying the square wave G pitch is played on the phonograph through one of the speakers, say speaker 12, the other speaker cabinet 14 being ofi.

The second step is to monitor the note as by ear at the speaker to detect the relative volumes of the fundamental frequency and the highest audible harmonic. As previously indicated, the highest audible harmonic may seem somewhat distorted, and may sound like a whistle, buzz or hiss. Where a his is present, the sound can be described as similar to blowing briskly across the fingernail.

The next step is to move the speaker 12 close to and relative to a wall of the room until a particular position of the speaker is detected where the volume of the highest audible harmonic is greater relative to the fundamental frequency than at adjoining positions. This step may be carried out by first placing the front of the speaker cabinet against the wall. One comer of the speaker is very slowly pulled away from the wall while continuing to monitor a note at the speaker, and changes in the tone can be heard. This corner can be moved back and forth over a range of several inches, say by way of example a range of 24 inches, until the volume of the highest audible harmonic is greatest relative to the fundamental frequency. The other comer may then be pulled away from the wall while continuing to monitor the note, and if further peaking of the volume of the highest audible harmonic occurs, this motion is continued (back and forth if necessary) until the peak relative volume of the highest hannonic is detected. The motion of the speaker is continued very slowly while softly playing the note and monitoring it at the speaker as described above until that position is detected where the volume of the highest audible harmonic is greatest relative to the volume of the fundamental frequency. The speaker is fixed at that particular position. By way of example, one comer of the cabinet may be against or as far as 2 inches away from the wall, and the other corner of the cabinet may be out anywhere from 4 to 24 inches away from the wall. However, there is no fixed distance at which the effeet can be predicted. It is necessary to continue the motion until the optimum position is detected. 7

The positioning of the speaker is sometimes sufficient. If so, the procedure is terminated. In most cases, better results are achieved by continuing as follows.

Afier the cabinet has been placed, the next step is to move one reflector outside and relative to the speaker while continuing to sound the note and monitor the note at the reflector until a particular position of the reflector is detected where the volume of the highest audible harmonic is greater relative to the fundamental frequency than at any surrounding position. This step is carried out much the same as the positioning of the cabinet. By way of example, the first reflector may be reflector X which is placed between the wall and the cabinet in FIG. 1 of the drawings. This reflector may be a board having dimensions of l by 12 by 34 inches, and it may be moved typically within a radius of about I or 2 feet. It may be turned while it is moved. It is preferably moved on or just above the floor so that it can ultimately be placed in a leaning position from floor to wall. When a position is detected at which the volume as heard at the reflector of the highest audible harmonic is greatest relative to the fundamental frequency, the reflector is fixed in that position.

A second reflector Y is then positioned in the same manner. The reflector Y is moved slowly until a particular position for this reflector is detected where the volume as heard at the reflector of the highest audible harmonic is greatest relative to the fundamental frequency. The reflector Y is fixed at that position. Reflector Y might be smaller, typically have dimensions of 2 by 4 by inches, and it may for example sit upright on the floor.

Another reflector Z is moved and positioned in the same manner while sounding a note and continuing to monitor the same at the reflector to place it at that position where the volume as heard at the reflector of the highest audible harmonic is greater relative to that of the fundamental frequency than at any surrounding position.

The three reflectors X, Y and 2 may be sufficient to tune cabinet 12. Then cabinet 12 is turned ofi, cabinet 14 is turned on, and the steps are repeated, first positioning cabinet 14 and then reflectors X, Y' and Z, to adjust cabinet 14.

As previously mentioned, it is not necessary to move the reflectors over large areas. Changes in tone will be observed if the reflector is moved over a radius of a few inches to a few feet.

It is important to play the note which is monitored softly while carrying out the method. All monitoring is done by listening at the object being adjusted whether it be a speaker or a reflector. It is also important to ignore distracting sounds such as passing vehicles, air-conditioners, playing radios or any other disturbance and concentrate on the note being played. It is also best to move the head while listening to the note except when final adjustments are being made. Movemerits of the cabinet and the reflectors should be made very slowly. lf when positioning a given reflector the desired emphasis of the high harmonic cannot be achieved within a range of a few feet of motion, it is best to move that reflector to a different portion of the room and repeat the monitoring and moving step. A reflector should not be positioned which does not produce the prescribed results.

It is sometimes possible with small speakers to achieve the tuning by positioning only the speaker, butmore typically it is desirable to position at least three reflectors in addition to the speaker, and sometimes more. The number of reflectors which are positioned beyond three is a matter of judgment.

RESULTS Identifying and emphasizing the high harmonics does not produce any distortions. The tone of the instrument when music is played after the tuning has been completed will be full with clean highs. The tonal qualities of the instrument are characterized by fullness, roundness, solidity and spread as mentioned previously.

The second characteristic of the instrument after tuning in accordance with the invention is that the sound is dispersed. The sound seems to fill the room, enveloping the listener, and although the general area of origin may be evident, the music comes from all sides.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim: 1. A method of adjusting a speaker of an electrical sound producing instrument to a room in which music is to be played through the speaker of the instrument, said method comprising the steps of continuously softly sounding a single note through said speaker having a single fundamental frequency and harmonics including audible high harmonics above said fundamental frequency, monitoring the note at the speaker to detect the relative volumes of the fundamental frequency and the highest audible harmonic, moving the speaker back and forth close to and relative to a wall of the room while continuing to sound said note and monitor the same at the speaker until a particular position of said speaker is detected where the volume as monitored at the speaker of the highest audible harmonic is greater relative to said fundamental frequency than at adjoining positions, fixing said speaker at said particular position, moving a reflector outside and toward and away from said speaker while continuing to sound said note and monitor the same at the reflector until a particular position of said reflector is detected where the volume as monitored at the reflector of the highest audible harmonic is greater relative to the volume of said fundamental frequency than at adjoining positions, and fixing said reflector at said particular position thereof, thereby relatively peaking the reflection of said harmonic.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 including the further steps of moving a second reflector outside and toward and away from said speaker and said first reflector while continuing to sound said note and monitor the same until a particular position of said second reflector is detected at which the volume as monitored at said second reflector of the highest audible harmonic is greater relative to the volume of said fundarnental frequency than at adjoining positions, and fixing said second reflector at said particular position thereof.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 in which said instrument is an electronic organ and said note is played on said organ through speaker means thereof.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 in which said instrument is a phonograph and said note is reproduced from a record played on said phonograph through speaker means thereof.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 in which said recorded note comprises a square wave. 

1. A method of adjusting a speaker of an electrical sound producing instrument to a room in which music is to be played through the speaker of the instrument, said method comprising the steps of continuously softly sounding a single note through said speaker having a single fundamental frequency and harmonics including audible high harmonics above said fundamental frequency, monitoring the note at the speaker to detect the relative volumes of the fundamental frequency and the highest audible harmonic, moving the speaker back and forth close to and relative to a wall of the room while continuing to sound said note and monitor the same at the speaker until a particular position of said speaker is detected where the volume as monitored at the speaker of the highest audible harmonic is greater relative to said fundamental frequency than at adjoining positions, fixing said speaker at said particular position, moving a reflector outside and toward and away from said speaker while continuing to sound said note and monitor the same at the reflector until a particular position of said reflector is detected where the volume as monitored at the reflector of the highest audible harmonic is greater relative to the volume of said fundamental frequency than at adjoining positions, and fixing said reflector at said particular position thereof, thereby relatively peaking the reflection of said harmonic.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1 including the further steps of moving a second reflector outside and toward and away from said speaker and said first reflector while continuing to sound said note and monitor the same until a particular position of said second reflector is detected at which the volume as monitored at said second reflector of the highest audible harmonic is greater relative to The volume of said fundamental frequency than at adjoining positions, and fixing said second reflector at said particular position thereof.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 1 in which said instrument is an electronic organ and said note is played on said organ through speaker means thereof.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 1 in which said instrument is a phonograph and said note is reproduced from a record played on said phonograph through speaker means thereof.
 5. The method as claimed in claim 4 in which said recorded note comprises a square wave. 